Samantha J. Carpenter - Little Rock, AR
Attorney at John Wesley Hall
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Little Rock, AR
1202 Main Street Suite 210 Little Rock, AR 72202
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
8
Years
Experience
Little Rock Criminal Defense Lawyer
Updated: 02/28/2026
Areas of Practice
- Criminal Defense
- Appeals
- Post-Conviction
- Sex Offenses
- Child Welfare
Attorney Information
Overview
Samantha J. Carpenter is John Wesley Hall’s associate attorney, and her practice includes criminal law, state and federal appeals and post-conviction litigation. Originally from Arkansas, she graduated from the William H. Bowen School of Law in 2018 and was admitted to the Arkansas bar that same year. During law school she worked as a law clerk with John Wesley Hall, as well as the Pulaski County Public Defender’s office and the Capital Division of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission. After admission to the bar, she worked with the Arkansas Department of Human Services where she specialized in child welfare law and represented the Department in Dependency-Neglect proceedings before coming to work for Mr. Hall.
Samantha was admitted to practice in the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas in 2020. Currently she is a member of the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. In addition to litigation and appellate work, she works on John Wesley Hall's publications including: Search and Seizure (5th ed. 2013), Trial Handbook for Arkansas Lawyers (4th ed. 2018), and Professional Responsibility in Criminal Defense Practice (4th ed. 2023).
Her legal practice concentrates on appellate work in both state and federal court. Additionally, she handles a variety of post-conviction litigation ranging from clemency applications to removal from the sex offender registry.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Selected to Super Lawyers: Rising Stars 2025
Other Sources of Feedback About Samantha J. Carpenter
Included on the 2025 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
Education
-
Legal Education
-
William H. Bowen School of Law,
Little Rock,
Arkansas, 2018
J.D.
Honors: cum laude
-
William H. Bowen School of Law,
Little Rock,
Arkansas, 2018
-
Non Legal Education
-
Northwestern State University,
Natchitoches,
Louisiana, 2015
M.M. in Music Performance
-
Northwestern State University,
Natchitoches,
Louisiana, 2015
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Associate Attorney
Languages
-
English
Representative Cases
-
Govan v. State, 2025 Ark. App. 143 (reversed and dismissed)
-
Vasquez v. State
- Citation: 2022 Ark. App. 328, 652 S.W.3d 586
- Court: Arkansas Court of Appeals
- Year: 2022
Bar Admissions
- Arkansas, 2018
- U.S. District Court Western District of Arkansas, 2020
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Arkansas, 2020
Other Affiliations
- Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
Fraternities and Sororities
- Phi Kappa Phi
Photo
Videos
Contact
1202 Main Street
Suite 210
Little Rock, AR 72202
Phone: 501-371-9131
Fax: 501-378-0888
Email: Send a message
Website: https://www.johnwesleyhall.com
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